Dyeing machine



ou. 29, 194s. F. CARTER Em. y 2,410,336

DYEING MACHINE Filed ot. 21, 1944 UTI UeTt-o rs 17.' CarerM @X702 M MKM Patented Oet. 29, 1946 UNITED s'mrssl PATENT OFFICE .l I i Frederick Carter and Donald C. Taylor, Westhill, Ontariol'Canada lApplication October 21, 19.44,. Serial No. l559,825

The invention relates to improvements in a dyeing machine of the class in which a material to be dyed is guided through a vat or tank in a continuous manner and which is adapted for use in connection with a sewing machine so that a thread may be dyed in dilferent colors as required without having to change from one spool to another.

More particularly the. invention concerns a dyeing machine comprising a c'ase of box-#like formation in which a series of dyeing vats are contained for holding Ydyes of different colors. The case has a hinged lid which carries a slide shiftable over the vats by means of an elongated slot. The slide has guides for a thread unwound from a spool by the operation of a sewing machine. Ihe guides include a depending standard for extending into a vat and a cross arm for guiding the thread downwardly to the bottom of the standard and then upwardly therefrom for travel to the head of the sewing machine. By this arrangement the slide may be slid along the lid to bring the guides into proper position over a vat for dyeing the thread a desired color. The reaches of the thread between the standard and the cross arm have wiping contact with the vat for removal of excess dye and to ensure of uniform dyeing operation.

By virtue of this machine the color of the thread can be quickly and readily changed by raising the cover of the case to remove the thread from one vat and shifting the slide along to another vat and lowering the lid to enable the thread to travel through such other vat in the running of the sewing machine. The changing of the color is an exceedingly simple operation that can be performed expeditiously by the operator. The machine obviates the necessity of using a multiplicity of spools of differently colored 'thread particularly where sewing operations require change of color of the thread for a short interval.

In such a dyeing machine it is highly desirable that the slide be constructed so as to be freely movable from one position to another without any tendency to bind or stick. Hence it is a major object of the invention to provide a slide mechanism of improved construction having salient features of advantage.

Another object of the present invention is to supply a slide with a simple and efcient indexing device.

A still further object is to furnish a more serviceable dyeing machine which can be manufactured at low cost.

1 Claim. (Cl. (iS- 175) The objects are obtained by the selected embodiment of the invention illustrated in the ace companying drawing in which:

Fig'. 1 is a perspective view of a dyeing machine embodying the `present invention. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view thereof taken online 2-2 of Figure v1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section of Fig. 2 on line 3'-3 thereof.

Fig. 4 is a perspective fragmentary detail lustrating the slide mechanism.

Fig. 5 is a side view ofthe slide.

Like numerals of reference indicate correspending parts in each of the figures throughout the drawing of the invention.

The dyeing machine tov which my invention relates comprises a case IIJ of box-like formation adapted to contain one or more rows of dye vats or tanks II for the different colors which may be required. The vats are suitable receptacles arranged in i'ixed positions by suitable means and the case is an elongated member of a capacity to contain the desired number of vats.

The lid I2 of the case is hinged at I3 to swing upwardly toward one side for rendering the interior accessible and is provided with a longitudinal slot I4 forming a guideway over the vats for the slide I5. The standard is denoted at I6 and the lower end thereof has an eye IT. The upper end carries the cross arm I8 which is secured medially of its length thereto and is provided With an eye I9 at each end. The eyes Il and I9 guide the thread 20 as it is unwound from a spool 2| carried by a holder 22 at an end of the case. The opposite end of the case has a guide member 23 through which the thread is passed for subsequent threading through the sewing machine.

Having recounted the dyeing machine to which my invention relates the invention itself will be described in detail. The improved structure of the slide mechanism comprises forming the slide I5 of a flat strip of metal bent into a substantially U-shaped conguration having a bight 24 to which the standard I6 is secured and having converging legs 25 extending downwardly with their lower ends engaged with the respective edges 26 of the slot I4 under light tension. The extremities of the said lower ends are bent outwardly, as at 21, to t under the lid I2. The bent extremities 21 are in the nature of flanges bearing against the bottom face of the lid and serving to retain the slide I5 in proper position over a vat with the standard I6 depending therein and the reaches of the thread conform narrow flanges as at 28 which present a,

smooth slide surface for contact with the lower ends of the legs 25, Due to the convergency of the legs the flanges thereof form guide grooves for the slide.

To shift the slide along the slot` in changing from one color to another it is merely'necessary to grasp it by hand and squeeze lthey legs .so thatk it may move freely to a new position; it being understood that the lid is lst swung upwardly so that the vats will nothinterfere with the travel of Vthe standard i6.

vItis most important. thatth standard be p0- sitioned exactly atnthe centre of a vat in order that the thread may haveproper wiping contact with the top edge portion thereof. For this purpose an indexing device may lirel employed. Such an indexing device may comprise the `*provision of an aperture 2*9 in one of' the legs 25 of the slide and rounded nodules 3i] formed on the cdrresponding edge of the slot I4. The nodules are located at intervals. alongside the slot according to the spacing offthevats andmay be formed by strul up parts ofthe li'd material. By this arrangement theY aperture 29 vvillv engage a nod- `and having a hinged cover includingl material Y guide means projecting through an elongated slot in said cover for movement from one to anotherof said vats, the improvement including Y slide means for supporting said material guide meanasaid slide means including a substantially U-shaped member of springy material having converging legsr flanged at their distal ends for intertting engagement with side edges of said slot under outward tension, said material guide means being attached to the bight portion of said U-shaped member' and having a material guiding element extendingl` between said legs and protruding therefrom for projecting into one 'or another f said vatsl according' to the' position ofthe slide means, and an indexing device for said slide means comprising nodules on Said cover of the case spaced at intervals along one edge o'i the' slot therein for engaging in a locating aperture provided in the adjacent'leg of said- U-shaped member. p A

FREDERICK CARTER'.

DONALD C. TAYLOR. 

